This invention relates to wire guard devices, and more particularly to wire guard devices which are used in well casings.
In many conventional wells, the drop pipe is positioned in a well casing, and the lower end of the drop pipe has a pump attached thereto. Electrical conductors, cables, safety ropes and the like, which are attached to the pump, extend alongside the drop pipe in the well casing. The drop pipe wires, cables and safety rope are subject to abrasion against the inner surface of the well casing.
Wire guard devices have been developed which are attached to the drop pipe and space the latter in substantially centered relation in the casing. These guard devices also have apertures therein for accommodating cables, wires, safety ropes and the like to prevent damage thereto. Such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,203. While this device prevents damage to the drop pipe and the control lines, one of the problems associated with this kind of guard device is the requirement that the guard device be strung over the end of the drop pipe section. In this regard, the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,203 is a split-ring guard device, but cannot be opened wide enough to slip the guard device on the drop pipe. It is therefore necessary to string the drop pipe through the central opening in this type of device, and this involves a time-consuming operation.
Other wire guard devices have been developed which overcome the problems associated with the embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,203. One such device is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,395. However, the wire guard device of U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,395 can be applied only to a round pipe that is equivalent in circumference to the inner circumference of the wire guard when that wire guard is closed around the round pipe.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a guard device which protects the drop pipe, wires, cables and the like from abrasion, yet may be readily applied to the drop pipe.
More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a split-ring type guard device which may be readily opened at the split to permit the guard device to be slipped over the drop pipe and fastened thereon.
Further, it is an object of this invention to provide a guard device capable of use on drop pipes of varying outer circumference.
Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a guard device capable of guiding flat compressed, as well as round, wire.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.